Speaking about an error in her birth certificate, the singer said she discovered in the 1970s that her legal name was completely different.

In her recently published memoir, Cher: The Memoir, Part One, which was published on November 19, the famed singer said she was shocked to learn that her name was listed as Cheryl on the birth certificate.

The Grammy-winning musician discovered the truth behind her name when she decided to formally shorten her name to “Cher” in 1979.

According to Hello, she wrote, “I believed Cherilyn was my name until years later when I decided to legally change my name to simply Cher.” magazine.

Also read: Cher reveals she decided to ‘lend’ her virginity at age 14: ‘I had revenge sex’

Cher asks mom about her real name

“I was shocked,” she says in her memoir, describing the moment of discovering her real name. She further provided some insight into how her mother, Georgia Holt, provided her with some clarity.

At the age of 33, he shortened his first name and dropped four of his surnames—Sarkisian, Lapierre, Bono, and Allman.

Holt gave birth to a child at the age of 19. According to Cher, a nurse asked her mother what she wanted to name her baby.

“My mom had no idea, but when the woman pressed her she replied, ‘Well, Lana Turner is my favorite actress and her little girl’s name is Cheryl. My mom’s name is Linda, so what about Cherylyn? How about it?” he wrote.

In front of her mother she asked Holt, “Do you even know my real name, Mom?” “I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain. Give me leave,” his mother replied.

Cher’s surname was listed as Sarkisian on the birth certificate. Gilbert Lapierre, who adopted him after his marriage to Holt in 1961, gave him the surname Lapierre. She later adopted the surnames of Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman after their marriages.

While Cher’s memoir was published on November 19, its second volume is expected to be published in 2025.